Optoelectronic devices such as detectors and emitters are conventionally fabricated as assemblies comprising a device affixed to a header wherein the mounted device is coupled to a short length of optical fiber called a pigtail. Since the efficiency of an optical communications system is directly linked to the amount of light coupled between a device and fiber, precise alignment of these two elements is crucial. The fabrication of pigtailed device assemblies greatly facilitates the accurate incorporation of these devices into optical communications systems.
In the fabrication of pigtailed device assemblies it is common to employ a fixture capable of holding the mounted device and fiber which fixture has means for adjusting the position of one element relative to the other. Due to the flexibility of the fiber, the fixture must clamp the fiber very near the end adjacent the device during alignment and bonding. Therefore, in applications where a housing or fiber support is to be slid down over the fiber onto the header, it is necessary for the housing to be above the clamping means during initial attachment of the fiber to the device. This in turn means that the clamping means must be released and the housing maneuvered down onto the header for further assembly. Although the fiber is not released until it has been bonded to the device, the subsequent assembly steps can strain or break the fiber prior to the time the housing or support structure is put into place. A fixture for providing an accurate, efficient alignment and bond of a fiber to a device with minimal fiber breakage has been sought.